Creative Alliance’s monthly Blackscope Cinema Series expands our understanding and appreciation of Black film in America. Through varying programming, including talks, demos, and making activities, the Baltimore community is invited to celebrate modern and contemporary film from Black and Diasporic creators.

For our next installment, we’re screening Daughters of the Dust (1991). Be sure to enjoy a floral installation inspired by the film, and stop by the Box Office for discounts on future screenings with the purchase of a ticket.

About The Film

Daughters of the Dust is a 1991 independent film written, directed, and produced by Julie Dash. It is the first feature film directed by an African-American woman to be distributed theatrically in the United States. Set in 1902, it tells the story of three generations of Gullah (also known as Geechee) women in the Peazant family on St. Helena Island as they prepare to migrate off the island into the North. The film gained critical praise for its lush visuals, Gullah dialogue, and non-linear storytelling. The cast features Cora Lee Day, Alva Rogers, Barbara-O, Trula Hoosier, Vertamae Grosvenor, and Kaycee Moore and was filmed on St. Helena Island in South Carolina. Daughters of the Dust was selected for the Sundance 1991 dramatic competition. Director of photography Arthur Jafa won the top cinematography prize.